Crating



Dec. 3l, 1929.

E. F. LAU,

CRAT ING Filed Oct. '7. 1926 Patented Dec. 31, 1929 EDWIN F. LAU, OF MELROSE PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CONSOLIDATED STEEL STRAPPING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION F DELAWARE CRATING Application filed October 7, 1826. Serial No. 139,962.

My invention relates to improvements in crating of objects of all kinds for shipment, and is of particular importance 1n the provision of bracing means having novel coopera- 5 tion with said cra-ting, and I employ the term crating herein as designating not only open shipping frames but closed and open boxes and containers of all kinds adapted to be so braced.

Heretofore it has been customary to lbrace standard crating members with a plurality of diagonal boards, cleats, or other members, such members often being mitre cut to fit within the corners of the crate to withstand l5 compressional stresses, and often occupying substantial space within the crate, interferrn with the disposal of the crated article, require a larger crate, more material and considerable time and labor in fitting and mitre cutting said braces.

One object of my invent-ion is the provision of a method of crating without the necessity of using mitre cut bracing members.

Another object is the provision of a crating composed of transverse compression members and braced by diagonal tension members.

Another object is the provision of such a method of crating which is economical of time, space and material better adapted to withstand the shocks of transportation.

Another object is the provision of a crating in which the frame members cannot be torn apart at nailed joints by shocks of transportation.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear more fully from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of ref erence indicate Similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a crating embodying my invention, and

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of a modification.

The embodiment which I have chosen to il lustrate my invention consists in general in a crating which is indicated in its entirety at 10 and a plurality of endless tension members-11, 12, 13 and 14, and other details further to be described.

The crating 10 is preferably constructed of a plurality of relatively stiff frame or cornpression members, and for ordinary purposes inch board or less of oak or other relatlvely stron woods are sufficient.

Re erring to Figure 1, it will be seen that the base of the crate may consist of a plurality of base frame members 15, 16 and 17 which are fixed at their ends to the edges of transverse end frame members 29 and 38 by nails or any convenient fastening means. The side frame members 18, 19 and 20 as well as 24, 25 and 26 may likewise be constructed of boards extending vertically from the base frame members and the said side frame members are fixed to the base frame members 15 and 17 at their outward edges by nails or any convenient fastening means.

The end frame members 27, 28 and-29 as well as 38, 39 and 40 may consist of a plurality of boards extending between the side frame members 18 and 26, and 20 and 24 respectively, the said end frame members being fixed to the edges of said frame members in a similar manner to that previously described.

The top frame members 21, 22 and 23 may consist of a plurality of boards extending between the upper edges of the end frame members 27 and 40 and fixed thereto by nailing or any other convenient fastening means, and the exterior parts of said top frame members 21 and 23 are also nailed or otherwise fixed to the ends of the side frame members 18, 19 and 20 as well as 24, 25 and 26 respectively.

The distinguishing characteristics of a crate constructed by the foregoing method are that all the respective frame members whereever located, extend the full length, width, or height of the crate, that nowhere in the crate as so far constructed is more than one thickness of wood interposed between the inside of the crate and the outside, and that the corners of the said crate consist of three frame members each nailed upon the other in order to form the standard interlocked corner.

F or instance, in Figure 1, the side frame member 18 lies against the edge of the top frame member 21 and is secured thereto by a plurality of nails 47. Likewise the end frame member 27 lies against the side frame member 18 and is secured therto by a plurality of nails 46 and in a. similar manner the top frame member 21 lies against the end frame member 27, being secured thereto by a olurali'ry of nails 4', tie said nails in every case being driven edgen'ise into the boards opposing the framemember. Anothercharacter' ic oi tbe corne-r structure tlins vided lies 1n the fa;r that at tbe internal edges ot1 the resp-ecris" J'rame members and the frame member to Wliose edges they are nailed. 'there is an inside corner such as the corner 48 between tlfe interna-l edeje of the top ira-me member 21 .,.iiil tbe end frame member 27, or the cerner 5() formed between the end frame member 27 and the edGe of the side traine member 18 or tbe corner 49 formed between the side 'frame member 18 and the top frame member .21. The corners thus formed are utilized in my invention to perform a novel cooperation with diagonal tension members further to be described.

In orde-r to brace the crating structure tlnis ip )rovided Without the necessity of further compression members, unless such desired, and to provide for tbis oper: on "ith the utmostl economy of time, space and l provide my invention with plura u endless tension members 11, 12` 13 and rl`he said tension members are extended ing, being caught on or near the corners ot adjacent faces and then passed diagonally across other `faces unt-il the ends of said tension members meet. For instance, the tension member 12 may sta-rt at the top frame member 21 passing from the corner 49 across the top frame member 21 through tbe corner 48 across the end frame member 27 dia gjonally across tbe end of tbe crate under the frame member 28 and exterior to tbe member 29 adjacent the corner formed by trame members 29, 15 and 26. The tension member 12 is then continued diagonally across the corner portion of tbe lower tace the crate, about tbe ends of the frame members 15 and 29, diagonally across the rear side of the crate, being passed over the interior side of the fame member for a purpose further to be described. Continuing' the tension member 12 across the ends of the frame members 23 and 40, and diagonally across the end of the crate, but Within the trame member 39, the tension member passes about the right ends of the trame members 38 and 17 back to the front side of the crating, across which it passes diagonally to meet tbe other end or" the tension member. t will tlins be observed that my tension members pass diagonally across a. rbirality of succes e faces of the crating` bei caught and lield er near the corners et the crating` the r, jections or inside corners provided betr: tbe adjacent frame members at their junction.

[Lxiv LL; members other th sion members intermediate frame memienibers 28, 25, and 19 said tension members from abrasion rapture by the handling Y, '-3 in its transportation. The of the tension member 12 may then be a stretching machine in sncli man- "hat one end or" the strap passes through the machine and extends out ot the stretching machine ilatly adjacent another teusl ,ned portion on the other end of the strap in suoli manner that the said tension men ber may be drawn up tightly about tbe crating and its ends permanently sealed together, preferably with the Weil known Signode seal, one form of which is sliown and described in Flora Patent No. 1,252,680 issued on January 8, 1918.

In a similar manner the tension member 11 may be applied by passing the said tension Y onally across the successive .aces of the crating in such manner that it is retained upon the corners ot. the crate as has been previouslv described, also passing3 the tension member under intermediate crat-ing members sncb as side member 25, end member 39, LAse member 19 and end member 28 until the ends of said tension member meet as at 35, where they may be likewise placed in the stretching machine, tensioned, and permanently sealed.

ln order to guard against the release of the tension members across adjacent faces in case the tension member may be broken, I prefer to provide the same with a fastening means iocated at each cor er in such manner that the tension member extends from the said fastening member across a corner and the ce across the face of the crate in every case.

A Convenient means for accomplishing;r vthis result are the staples 41, 42, 43 and 44 shown as applied to the tension members 11 and 12 and it will be observed that in every case the tension members extend from the said staples whieli secure them firmly to the frame members, about a corner, thence across a face of the crate.

l find thatI the resistance presented by the turning ot the tension member such as standard steel strap Which l pre'ler to use for my invention, about corner, is suicient to prevent slipping under the staple and the loosening of the tension member across any oi' the faces except the one upon which said tension member may have been broken. In a similar manner tbe parts of the tension members or straps 11 and 12 which extend across the corners orn the base of the crate may be likewise secured to the base members 17 and 15 respectively at tbe four corners.

In order to supply my eratinegr with braces t the edges of the underneath bers sucb as for preventing deformation of the base and top from standard rectangular shape, I may provide a plurality of boards 30 to lll extending somewhat diagonally across the bay frame members 15, 16 and 1T within the crating and across the top frame members :EL 22 and 23 Within the cratin i' id secured to each one of these frame mem` ai., by nails rr any other convenient fastening means, but due to the great rigidity imparted to the crate by my diagonal tension bracing members, I find it is unnecessary to mitre cut the bracing members 30 to 33 and these bracing members may be eliminated entirely by the provision of additional tension bracing members as Will be further described.

In the modification shown in Figure 2 I have provided the crating with additional tension bracing members 123 and 14 which extend diagonally across the top and bottom of the crate in both directions and likewise diagonally across the ends ofthe crate in both directions and these tension members are Wrapped about the crating in a manner exactly similar to that described in Figure 1 with the exception that the tension members are begun upon different faces, namely the top and bottom in such manner that both the front and rear sides and the top and bottom are provided with diagonal tension members for bracing and the ends of the crate are both provided with double diagonal bracing members. The tension members ot Figure 2 may likewise be passed under immediate frame members such as 25, 39, 19 and Q8 in order to protect them at their intermediate portions from rupture by handling during transportation, and the said tension members may likewise be fixed by staples or other means to frame members Where said tension members cross the ends of such frame members at the points 41 to 114, 51, 52, 53 and the similar places upon the rear and base of the crating.

It Will thus be observed that I have provided a novel system of crating consisting of a crating member having a plurality of simple compressional members which arc braced by a plurality of endless diagonal tension members, and While I have illustrated my invention as applied to a specific type of crating, I desire it to be understood that my endless tension members may be used to brace any form of container or box having a plurality of plane sides arranged in such manner that tension members may be successively passed across the same With their ends meeting.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of many modifications Without departing from the spirit of the invention and I do not Wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes Within the scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

1.. In a crating, the combination of a polyhedral enclosing frame composed of a plurality of frame members forming a crating or box with a pair of diagonal tension meinbers passing directly over the edges of said frame from face to face on said frame, and extending diagonally and transversely to each other across the faces of said crating and diagonally across corners of said crating, said tension members slidably engaging the faces and corners, whereby the ends of said tension members may be brought together, tensioned and secured to tension the same over the full length of said tension members about said crating under suihcient tension to brace said article.

2. In a crating, the combination of a polyhedral enclosing frame composed of a plurality of frame members forming a crating` or box', With a continuously diagonal metal tension bracing member extending directly from face to face of said frame, said tension member alternately extending' across a face from one edge to a parallel edge and then across a corner from one edge to an edge transverse to said latter edge, said tension member being tensioned along its full length about said frame, and having its ends joined together.

3. The method of bracing a polyhedral arf ticle for sb ipment con'iprising passing a metal tension member diagonally across one face of said article from one edge to a parallel edge, thence directly and diagonally across an adjacent transverse face at the corner thereof to an edge transverse to said parallel edge, and thence alternately and diagonally across the faces of said article and between the parallel and transverse edges of said article, until the ends of said tension member meet, tensioning said tension member aboutA said article with a tensioning machine, said tension meinixer slidably engaging said faces to tension the full length tbereof, and securing the ends of said tension member together under sullicient tension to brace said article laterally.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of September. 1928.

EDVIN F. LU. 

